RON Vlaar is working tirelessly on improving his individual performances in order to strengthen the nucleus of the Villa team.

The claret and blue captain insists dedication and hard work on the training ground is the only way his side can start to ‘make their own luck’ and climb up the Premier League table.

Extra sessions in the gym are the norm for the man described as a model professional by his peers.

And while the 27-year-old believes the newly-assembled team are showing signs of settling down together, he is determined to keep putting in the hours to help form a rock-solid partnership with fellow centre-half Ciaran Clark.

“It is getting better and better but we still need to improve,” he said.

“We talk about it a lot together and I think everybody has to improve.